?We are moving away from Gandhi?s dream?

MENTIONING THAT qualities of humanity, brotherhood and tolerance were slowly being destroyed in society, Governor Dr Balram Jakhar on Tuesday put a question whether this was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi for India.

MENTIONING THAT qualities of humanity, brotherhood and tolerance were slowly being destroyed in society, Governor Dr Balram Jakhar on Tuesday put a question whether this was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi for India.

Speaking at the meeting organised to pay homage at the Gandhi Bhavan on the 59th death anniversary of the father of nation, the Governor said people were forgetting the path shown by Gandhi because of the consumerist way of life. “Yet, all was not lost and some good way would be found out among all this deterioration,” the Governor said.

Dr Jakhar further said the present situation was such that people were running away from each other and there was no sharing of others’ sorrow. Quoting a poet he said that looking at the corrosion of human values even children do not want to grow up.

Chairman of the MP State Human Rights Commission Justice D M Dharmadhikari, who was also present at the function expressed concern over growing culture of violence and said that to counter this, good people would have to become active and united. He said constitution of local level `peace forces’ was more effective to counter the growing violence rather than always depending on Government or other agencies.

Gandhi Bhavan Trust secretary Ramchandra Bhargava also expressed regret that society had moved away from the path shown by Gandhiji.

Winners of the ‘Aao Gandhi ko Jaane’’ (Come, let’s know Gandhi) competition Bhupendra Yadav of Vidisha and Ashutosh Mishra and Bhavna Kamdar of Bhopal were awarded on the occasion. About 1,500 students from across State participated in the competition. The maximum students were from Scholar’s Home School and the principal of the school Madhuri Seth was felicitated for this. At the outset, the Governor garlanded a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji’s favourite Bhajans (devotional songs) were also sung on the occasion.

Tent over Gandhi’s statue peeves Cong leaders
A GROUP of Congress leaders, who visited old Vidhan Sabha building on Tuesday to pay floral tributes before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on his martyrdom day, were peeved to find his statue under a tent put up for a marriage ceremony the previous evening.

Since Mayor Sunil Sood was accompanying them, the tent was quickly removed and the tribute-paying ceremony began. Later Pradesh Congress Committee (legal cell) chief J P Dhanopiya dispatched a letter to Speaker Ishwardas Rohani, under whose control the old Vidha Sabha building is, urging not to give the premises for marriage or any such function at least on the eve of Gandhi’s birth anniversary or martyrdom day.

He also criticised the State Government for not sounding siren on Tuesday as traditionally done on death anniversary of Gandhi and said it only indicated BJP’s ‘animosity’ towards Gandhi and his ideology.